


Part of Your World

by im_the_king_of_the_ocean



Category: RWBY
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, F/M, Interspecies Romance, Mermaid Ruby Rose
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-08
Updated: 2020-08-08
Packaged: 2021-03-06 04:29:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25787365
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/im_the_king_of_the_ocean/pseuds/im_the_king_of_the_ocean
Summary: Despite coming from different worlds, Ruby and Oscar find ways to be there for each other.
Relationships: Oscar Pine/Ruby Rose
Comments: 6
Kudos: 32





	Part of Your World

Ruby hates admitting it, but she’s definitely lost.She’s been meandering through the Exhibition Hall looking for the right presentation room (and there are apparently numerous ones of those) for who knows how long now (it’s not like she has anything like the way the sunlight shines down through the water to tell time here or anything).

Also, she’s _cold_.Sure, she’s spent some time above the surface before, but that’s usually always been at the water’s edge, where she can easily dip beneath the waves to refresh herself.Being exposed to air for an extended period of time like this is definitely not as easy as she assumed it would be.

Ruby blows a raspberry.Why does everything have to be much harder on land?Humans go about their daily lives up here all the time without any problem.Technically speaking, she’s half human, so that _should_ have meant it would be just as easy for her.

Beneath the numerous enchanted blankets she’s tightly wrapped it in, Ruby’s tail twitches, as if to remind her of her other half.The half that belongs in the sea.She was born to swim through deep waters and glide along the currents.Not crawl her way onto the beach, clamber into a wheelchair, learn how to use the contraption, and leave her home for a world she doesn’t belong in.

“We’re not staying,” Ruby mutters at her tail.“We’re just here long enough to support Oscar for his final project.”If she could just make it to wherever the project presentation is before it _ended_.Oscar had said such events were on a tight schedule.She’d left early, knowing it would take her an extra long time to reach her destination, but she’d thought she’d _be there by now_.

“Excuse me, miss?”

Ruby yelps.She hadn’t seen the tall man wearing a dark suit approach her.She checks him for weapons, but he doesn’t seem to have any.Just an elegant walking cane held casually in one hand.She supposes he _could_ use it as a weapon, but if he was going to attack her, he’d probably hit her over the head first and not talk to her.

That’s what Torchwick had done, after all.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.”The man put his hands up in a calming gesture similar to the one Oscar does when he wants her to focus and pay attention.“I couldn’t help but notice you’ve gone around the lobby a few times now.Is there something I could help you find?”

Ruby considers.On the one hand, help _would_ be nice.On the other, she’s well aware not all humans _are_ nice.If they knew what she is, some would try to cut her up and sell her as magical ingredients on the Grimm Market.

This man isn’t Torchwick, though.He’s nicer.Ruby can feel it.Just like she did when she decided to reveal herself to Oscar, she decides to trust him.

“Um, yeah, I’m looking for the Green Room?My friend, Oscar, is giving his end-of-year Wizardry Presentation there.”

The man smiles.“Ah.You’re in luck, I’m headed to the same presentation myself.I could walk you there?”

“Uh, sure,” Ruby shrugs.She follows the man to a set of smooth, shiny doors.He presses a button next to them, and it lights up.Ruby wonders how the mechanism works.Lightning dust maybe?It’s significantly safer to use here on the surface.Less probability of electrocution.

The doors open, revealing a small, confined room.The man walks in and turns to face Ruby.

Ruby frowns.It’s fairly obvious to her that the small room isn’t Oscar’s presentation room.Maybe she was wrong and this guy is planning on deceiving her after all?The room would be a perfect place to set a trap.

“It’s just upstairs,” the man tells her quietly.He quirks one eyebrow up.“I assume you’ve ridden an elevator before.”

“…yes.”Ruby answers slowly, trying to sound more confident than she is.

The man studies her.His gaze is far more perceptive than Ruby would have liked.His eyes dart to the blankets her tail is wrapped in.What could possibly be understanding flashes across his face, but it comes and goes too quickly for Ruby to be sure.“It’ll take us to the next floor up.”The man gestures to the small room around him.“Don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe.”

“Yeah!I knew that!”Ruby finally follows him into the ‘elevator’.Thankfully the man doesn’t comment on her false confidence.

The elevator’s doors close.The man presses another button on the small room’s inside wall and it lights up.Then the room—the very world—seems to move around them.Ruby doesn’t like the sensation.It makes her stomach queasy.Finally, the doors open to reveal a different hallway than the one they started out in.

Ruby likes this hallway better.It has a worried Oscar pacing.

The elevator dings their arrival.Oscar looks their way.

“Professor Ozpin!You’re here!”There’s no hiding the relief in Oscar’s voice.Then, his gaze falls on his mentor’s companion.His eyes widen. _“Ruby_?! _”_ He tries to regain his composure and fails.“What are you doing here?”

Ruby grins at Oscar.“I wanted to come support you for your big presentation,” she chirps happily.

“But—you—I—I—“ Oscar seems to remember Ozpin’s presence.He takes a breath, and attempts to regain his composure.“Okay, okay.But I’m taking you home right after, alright?It’s…” He pauses, glances at Ozpin again, and then says, “it can’t be good for you to be out too long.”

“I know.”Ruby shrugs nonchalantly.“You’re important to me, Os.”That gets a blush to rise to his cheeks, which, honestly, is the thing that makes all of this worth it.Oscar is so _cute_ when he blushes.

They head into the presentation room together.Ruby joins the small audience.Oscar heads up to the stage.Ozpin drifts over to where the judges’ panel is.

“Anytime you’re ready, Mr. Pine,” One of the judges, Glynda Goodwitch, who Ruby recognizes from the descriptions Oscar told her, speaks dryly.She’s less scary than Ruby assumed she’d be, but maybe that’s because Ruby isn’t the one she’s sternly gazing at.“The rest of us have been waiting long enough.”

“I’m afraid that’s my fault, Ms. Goodwitch,” Ozpin speaks up.“I was delayed in my departure from my academy office.As Oscar’s faculty mentor, whose presence is required for this presentation, I should have been here promptly when we were scheduled to begin.”

Goodwitch sighs.“Yes, well.This won’t reflect on Mr. Pine’s grade, but I would like us to actually _start_.“Mr. Pine, if you would?”She gestures to Oscar.

Oscar gulps.He looks at Ruby for the briefest of moments.He approaches the microphone at the front of the stage.He wraps one hand around its stand.Gulps again.Finally starts, “For my final project, I’ve developed a spell.”Oscar hesitates, and then continues, “a spell that will allow a person to breath underwater and endure the heavy pressures of the ocean for extended periods of time.”

Ruby listens as Oscar goes on about all the practical applications of his spell.He has a very long, very thorough list.It’s a good list.Really.

It doesn’t have the true reason he’s created his spell.It can’t.Not without revealing too much.

After the presentation ends, Ozpin drives Ruby and Oscar back to the beach, no questions asked.Neither Ruby nor Oscar revealed their secret to him, but they’re both fairly certain he’s figured it out regardless.

Ozpin leaves.Oscar pushes Ruby’s wheelchair through the sand to the water.Once there, he walks around to be in front of Ruby.

“May I?” Oscar asks, gesturing to the blankets.When Ruby nods, he tenderly unwraps her tail.Scarlet scales glitter like Ruby’s namesake in the sunlight.After asking Ruby’s permission a second time, Oscar gently lifts her out of her chair.He carries her into the ocean.The surf swirls around his feet, his ankles, his knees.When he’s deep enough, he stops.

“See you down there.”Ruby stretches up and pecks a quick kiss on Oscar’s cheek.He blushes.She giggles, and then jumps out of his arms into the water.

Ruby takes a deep breath.Every inch of her is relieved to be underwater, _home_ , again.She propels herself forward, doing a happy loop-de-loop for the fun of it.She looks back and can’t help but grin wildly.

Oscar is slow to adjust to the sensation of floating underwater.He moves his arms in slow, fluid movements.The idea that his spell allows him to breath here beneath the waves, too, seems to be something he’s still getting used to.Ruby swims back to him.She holds out her hands for him to place his own in her grasp.Oscar does.

They float like that, hands held together for just a little bit.Then Ruby flicks her tail and they’re off on their first undersea adventure together.


End file.
